Good morning. It's Monday, Jan. 5, and we're covering the US operation in Venezuela, what may be the earliest human ancestor, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4.5 million insatiably curious readers. Sign up here.
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US special forces conducted an early morning raid in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas Saturday, striking military facilities and capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. The pair was transported to New York City to face federal drug- and terrorism-related charges, with their first court appearance expected this morning. See photos here.
President Donald Trump suggested the US would oversee the country until open elections could be held. As of this writing, reports say Maduro allies led by Vice President Delcy Rodríguez remain in charge but have been in contact with US officials. Rodríguez condemned the strike and called for Maduro's release.
The operation began around 1:30 am local time, with roughly 150 aircraft providing air cover while extraction teams entered Maduro’s compound, intervening before the Maduros could enter a safe room. The effort took about two hours, with no Americans killed—read more about how it unfolded here.
Maduro assumed power in 2013 following the death of Hugo Chávez. He was indicted by the US in 2020 (read here)—which eventually offered $50M for aiding in his arrest—on narcoterrorism charges spanning 25 years. Maduro claimed victory in the 2024 election despite evidence that he lost by a wide margin.
The administration framed the operation as a federal law enforcement action that did not require congressional approval, while some critics argued it violated international law previously ratified by the US. Legal precedent suggests the circumstances of the capture won’t preclude prosecution.
See background on recent US-Venezuelan tensions here. |
Fresh analysis of a fossil discovered in the early 2000s appears to strengthen the claim that the earliest known human ancestor walked upright 7 million years ago.
Paleontologists discovered the ape-like species, Sahelanthropus tchadensis, in Chad's Djurab desert in 2001. Early research focused on the fossil's skull, with the lead researcher suggesting the creature walked upright based on how it carried its head. Later analysis—of the fossil’s ulnae (forearms) and femur (thigh bone)—left unresolved the question of whether the species walked on two legs, and could therefore be classified as a human ancestor.
Now, a detailed 3D analysis of the femur and thigh bone confirmed two elements pointing to bipedalism and revealed a third: the presence of a femoral tubercle, which has so far been identified only in hominins (see explanation).
Read the full study here. |
New York City’s subway and bus fares rose to $3 yesterday, up 10 cents for most rides. The planned hike, along with increases in other Metropolitan Transportation Authority services, is expected to raise $350M annually. It goes into effect days after Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) took office after running in part on a pledge to make NYC buses free.
New York City’s transit system is run by the MTA, a state agency with a roughly $21B annual operating budget. To make buses free, Mamdani will need the support of MTA leadership, which approved the latest hike in September. Mamdani has proposed making up lost money to the state—bus fare is expected to raise over $1B annually by 2028—in part by raising the corporate tax rate to 11.5%, the same rate as New Jersey (the highest in the country).
The NYC subway system carries over 4 million passengers daily; the bus carries over 1 million people daily. An estimated one in five New Yorkers struggles to pay for public transit, according to findings from an antipoverty group. |
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Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
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> CES 2026, the largest annual consumer electronics show, gets underway in Las Vegas with major keynotes tonight and the exhibition opening tomorrow; see updates and expected announcements (More) | The history of CES (1440 Topics) |
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☀️ What we learned about the physics of light: From photos to the double-slit experiments, tomorrow's 1440 Science & Technology newsletter explores electromagnetic radiation. We'll also cover brain implants, turbulence, and much more. Join 115,000+ science enthusiasts here! |
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> US stock markets end the first trading day of the new year mixed (S&P 500 +0.2%, Dow +0.7%, Nasdaq 0.0%); analysts project around 11% growth for the S&P 500 in 2026 (More) | The history of stock markets (1440 Topics) |
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Why You Should Cancel Your Car Insurance |
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> Death toll in Iranian anti-government protests rises to at least 16 people; President Donald Trump threatens to intervene if more protesters are killed (More) |
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... and want to see something cool? Norway's panoramic night train.
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Historybook: Actress Jane Wyman born (1917); Dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey born (1931); Construction of Golden Gate Bridge begins (1933); Scientist and inventor George Washington Carver dies (1943); Singer and congressman Sonny Bono dies in skiing accident (1998).
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"I love to think of nature as unlimited broadcasting stations, through which God speaks to us every day, every hour and every moment of our lives, if we will only tune in and remain so." |
- George Washington Carver |
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